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Minister thanks gas consumers for limiting usage

Thursday 27 October 2011, 2:55PM

By Hekia Parata

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The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata, is thanking consumers for conserving gas while Vector contend with a leak on the Maui pipeline in Taranaki.

The residential savings have meant that another band of users will be brought back on today.

Gas supply was restored to essential services yesterday including hospitals and rest homes, and a number of dairy factories and bakeries.

Limited use by gas customers over recent days has meant that a number of small business gas users, such as cafes and shops, will be able to use gas today. Small gas users will be notified by retailers when they are back on.

All other gas consumers must still curtail their use.

"Those users who are able to use gas should conserve their usage as much as possible and use electricity if that is available. That way we will be able to continue supplying gas to those essential users who need it,'' says Ms Parata.

Vector have spent the last 48 hours excavating the site. Yesterday they identified a crack in the seam in a section of the pipeline and early this morning they removed a 600mm section of the pipe. They are now repairing it.

"I would like to thank Vector for their efforts," says Ms Parata.

"While there is still a way to go, they are working tirelessly on fixing the pipe."

This is the first incident of this kind with the Maui pipeline in its more than 30 years of operation.

"It has been a very reliable piece of infrastructure."

The gas industry and its regulator, the Gas Industry Company, have a plan for dealing with a critical gas outage. This is set out in the Gas Governance (Critical Contingency Management) Regulations 2008.

Under this plan the Gas Industry Company appoints a Critical Contingency Operator (CCO) who has the responsibility for managing the available gas supply by administering the critical contingency protocols.

The CCO operates independently and this role is currently held by Vector.

"Consumers who are unsure if they are in the band of restored users should contact their retailer and should not turn back on without that confirmation," says Ms Parata.